I serve on the Lake Oswego City Council with Joe Buck. He is a proven leader who brings energy and vision to our community. He is a "Big Tent" guy who listens to everyone.

As a Councilor he raises important questions that spark robust discussions and creative solutions. During his tenure on the Council he has been liaison to several city advisory boards, including Sustainability, Parks/Recreation and Planning Commission. He helped create our Youth Advisory Committee and worked hard to help us get Affordable Housing, Climate Action and Economic Development as Council goals.

Whether we are dealing with efficient governance, balanced development, sustainability, open space, trails, transportation or housing options, I have found Joe to be a leader that thinks comprehensively and strategically. He gets the "Big Picture" of our city, regional and state context. I highly recommend Joe to be our next Metro Councilor. He will be a strong voice and tireless advocate for our region. He knows how to work with organizations, governments, leaders and citizens to collaborate on reasoned solutions to the complex issues before us.

The upcoming General Obligation Bond has the vote of my family. It is simply renewing a bond measure passed in 2008. When this measure passes, our property taxes will stay the same. These are the items high on our list:

1. Upgrading and improving three former fire stations (Old Bolton Fire Station, Old Robinwood Station and the Sunset Fire Hall) which will be used to offer community space for the West Linn Food Pantry, low-cost preschool, and classes and meetings. These all rated highly by the people taking the recent West Linn poll. Let's finally get these facilities repaired so they can be used by the entire town.

2. Fixing the roof on the library.

3. Field renovation and park and facility maintenance, including increased access to the river.

4. Transportation improvements on Willamette Falls Drive and Highway 43 and providing safe routes to schools. Also, installing stop signs at Salamo and Day and adding left turn signals for each direction at Rosemont and Salamo.

Please think of how the items above will improve our quality of life in West Linn and vote yes on the General Obligation Bond in May.

Having spent 26 years living, working and volunteering in Clackamas County, I know the realities of the issues we face — homelessness, congestion, a need for more family-wage jobs, increasing demand for social services.

I also know what county commissioners can and cannot achieve on the job. I appreciate the highly optimistic points of view expressed by Commissioner Paul Savas' opponent, but I'm concerned that he does not understand what a commissioner really does or how to move the county forward in a realistic fashion.Savas has the experience, knowledge county needs

As a Democrat and Neighborhood Leader who knocks on lots of Democratic doors in my local precincts, I am concerned.

How can someone with no government or volunteer service, with a vague resume, who has lived and worked out of Clackamas County and Oregon for most of the past decade, win the tacit endorsement of other Democrats simply by dint of party label?

County commissioner is a nonpartisan position. I may lean to the left, but I will not support the unseating of a commissioner as dedicated, smart and hard-working for our county as Paul Savas simply to follow the party line.

We need commissioners who understand the realities of what can be achieved at the county level, not someone who appears fixated on national and state issues but doesn't know where else to begin.